Field of the Invention
The current invention relates to a tubular skylight comprising a roof-mounted element for collecting exterior light, a ceiling mounted element, a tube connecting the roof mounted element and the ceiling mounted element and a diffuser element mounted in the ceiling mounted element. Moreover, the current invention relates to an accessory diffuser element suitable for mounting in a tubular skylight. Additionally, the current invention relates to a method of manufacturing a diffuser element.
Description of the Related Art
Tubular skylights provide natural light to the interior of a building by capturing daylight in the roof-mounted element and bringing the light through the tube and into the room through a diffuser element. The diffuser element may be translucent. The diffuser element achieves two effects: (1) it diffuses the light entering the room and (2) it hides the internal structural details of the tubular skylight from normal viewing angles of a person in the room. These types of skylights often have diffuser elements that are flush or close to flush with the ceiling. Moreover the diffuser element is typically planar.
Tubular skylights may provide a path through the ceiling insulation and roof for heat to flow from the inside of a building to the outside in a cold season and from the outside of the building to the inside in a warm season. When the temperature difference between the outside and the inside of the building is sufficiently great, heat flowing through the skylight, in either direction, may cause discomfort to the occupants of the building. The temperature difference may undesirably require additional heating or cooling inside the building to maintain comfort for the building occupants. In prior art tubular skylights this problem was addressed by adding discrete holding pieces attached to the interior of the tube element by adhesive tape. One or more discs of transparent material were moved past the holding pieces while the surface of the discs were oriented in vertical position. After passing the holding pieces, the discs were rotated into horizontal position and positioned and supported on the holding pieces. The principle required many parts that have to be installed correctly into the interior of the tube.
One object of the present invention is to increase the amount of natural light that enters the room through the tubular skylight
Another object of the present invention to provide a tubular skylight and an accessory that is easy to install in the tubular skylight.
A further object of the present invention to provide a method of mounting an accessory in a tubular skylight.